


Poison in my veins

by Inukistar



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2019-01-21 13:46:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12459048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inukistar/pseuds/Inukistar
Summary: A wounded Ignis tries to get back home, but he has more on his mind than his physical injuries. Set after Fateful meeting.





	Poison in my veins

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to make this as long as Fateful meeting, but as a wise friend told me, a story ends when it ends. XD

 

Ignis grunted and leaned against a nearby tree to not fall on his knees again. He wasn’t sure that he would be able to get up this time.

His situation was far from ideal. The poison prevented his body from healing itself and the ache in his muscles was growing after each footstep he took. The cuts were a minor inconvenience. The gash at his side, however, will probably end him before the sun even rise.

He took more than he could chew. That much was certain. However, if he were to die tonight, at least it would be for his prince.

The mere thought of Noctis made his heart squeezed in his chest and for a moment, that pain was a lot stronger than what the hunters did to him. He had been carrying that invisible wound for some years now.

Truly, he was happy that Noctis found a friend in Prompto. He and Gladio learned to care for the young prince through their duty. But Prompto? He reached out to Noct in a way nobody ever did before. To see the young vampire care for a person outside their usual circle and make close ties with them made Ignis happy. It was a proof of everything he saw in Noctis: he would become a wonderful compassionate king.

But it came with a price and it was to see Noct slowly walking away and with someone else than Ignis at his side.

Oh, he knew about that sexual encounter Noctis and Prompto had. He heard all of it. Prompto’s home wasn’t built to prevent vampires to hear through walls. The gasping, the sound of clothing brutally being removed, the grunts… However, the thing that probably hurt Ignis more was Noct’s answer to Prompto’s question.

_If he ever wants to, I guess it would mean that he cares for me in that way, but that’s not going to happen. Don’t worry. His job is too important._

Ignis grabbed the closest branch as he felt his legs gave in, but the strength in his hand wasn’t enough to hold his body and he fell on the ground like a broken doll. A hiss of pain escaped his lips, but he didn’t scream. If there were still hunters after him, he couldn’t lead them to him.

The limit of his body had been reached. His will was strong, but the blood loss made it impossible for him to continue. With the last of his strength, he pushed himself on his back and watched the stars through the leaves of the forest surrounding him.

His job… Noctis was his job. The only one that mattered. He didn’t always love him. His attachment grew over the years. Noctis was a playful child, although sadness always lurked somewhere behind those beautiful blue eyes. All he ever wanted was to spend more time with his father. Ignis couldn’t replace him, but he tried to be a friend who Noctis could always count on. At some point, as they grew older, he realized that he cared more about him than a friend should.

And that wouldn’t do.

Ignis was his advisor, his closest ally. He couldn’t let his emotions cloud his judgement. He couldn’t fall for his liege. Moreover, being the older of the pair, people could believe he influenced Noctis into a relationship with him, putting the line of Lucis in peril for his own gain. The young prince didn’t realize it yet, but there was a lot of political game and tension around them. Ignis did his best to keep those worries away from the young vampire so he could focus on his training with Gladio and his other studies.

Then Prompto arrived and he and Noctis spent all their free time together. And later, the prince asked the permission to turn him…and Prompto accepted. It became harder for Ignis to hide his feelings for the one he advised daily. He became distant, more adult, more…responsible than necessary. All this for Noctis’ best interests.

As he lied on the ground, bleeding to death and eyes on the starry sky, he wondered if it was really for Noctis he did all this…or if he merely tried to protect himself from the heartache of being replaced at some point. Because there were talks about the prince of vampires marrying the beautiful and strong heiress of House Nox Fleuret to make a bridge between humans and vampires. A wedding to bring two people together and stop war and misunderstanding. Noctis would never love him enough to call this off.

Ignis sighed. Maybe his emotions clouded him a lot more than he first believed.

His senses were going dull. The light of the stars wasn’t as bright as before. The sounds of the wild animals slowly grew silent. He felt the cold in his bones for the first time in his life. All he could smell was his own blood. He wasn’t even sure if his hand was still covering the gash to slow the hemorrhage anymore. Did he still have his daggers? He couldn’t recall.

Did he have any regrets? No. He didn’t. Then why did he feel tears in the corner of his eyes? Why did his heart crush him under its weight at the thought of leaving his prince behind? He was being ridiculously sentimental.

“Noct…” He swallowed hard after that whisper.

Ridiculously sentimental indeed.

“He’s here!” A familiar voice screamed somewhere around him. He was so tired that he couldn’t point out where it was coming from and who spoke. He desperately hoped it was Noctis so he could see him one last time.

“Dammit, Iggy…” A rough voice murmured before Ignis felt someone lifted his head up with large hands. “You shouldn’t have taken them all by yourself!”

The strategist fought to bring his eyes to focus and saw Gladio’s throat. “Is he safe?” He forced his voice to be strong and confident, but it came out weak and exhausted.

“I’m fine, Specs.” Noctis’ voice comforted Ignis despite the sudden painful pressure at his side. “Gladio, he’s bleeding too much!”

“He won’t make it at this rate!” A third voice said and Ignis knew that was Prompto. “We have to do something!”

“He needs blood.” The bodyguard got ready to bite his own wrist when Prompto screamed to stop. “What?! We don’t have time to argue here, Prompto!”

“Allow me then.” The blond got closer. “You can carry both of us if he drinks too much out of me, but we can’t carry you guys back home in time if you’re both knocked out.”

“No. I should do it.” Noctis immediately offered. “He did it to save me from the hunters.”

“Noct, don’t be stupid. You’re the prince. If things go bad, Iggy will have your death on his conscience.” Prompto smiled and pat his friend’s shoulder. “I’ll do it. He’s my friend too.”

Ignis watched the whole scene, unable to share his input for once. Prompto’s words touched him a lot more than he thought it would. He called him ‘friend’. He was willing to share his blood with him to save him. How petty and misplaced his jealousy seemed now.

His nose soon picked up another smell in the air. Prompto bit his wrist to make it bleed and offered it to him.

“…cannot…” He weakly protested but the other vampire only brought his wrist closer to his mouth. Despite his state, Ignis resisted the urge to drink. He didn’t know if he could stop. His body was screaming for it and he feared he could just drink every single drop of Prompto’s body.

“Iggy… It’s ok.” Prompto smiled down to him when the advisor looked up to him. “Let me help.”

The gentleness found in the blond’s eyes made Ignis understand why he was Noctis’ best friend and the reason behind his comforting presence. There were times he felt Prompto was forcing himself into things, as if he didn’t feel worthy of being part of their group despite Noctis welcoming him. But right now… Ignis could only see a true desire to help a friend.

After a small hesitation, he closed his eyes as he wrapped his lips around the opening on the wrist and started drinking. His mind slowly became more alert as the warm liquid went down his throat. He could hear Gladio talking to Noctis, but he was too busy drinking to pay attention to what they were saying. It was only when his side burned that he understood what their conversation was about.

He bit Prompto out of pain, his fangs diving deeply into the blond’s skin. The smell of burning skin replaced the sweet salty smell of blood and it made his stomach heaved. He dreaded to associate that odor to the one of his only source of nourishment and once the pain passed, he let go of Prompto’s wrist and turned his head away from it.

“Apologies…” He said, feeling horrible for hurting Prompto like that.

“It’s… It’s ok, Iggy.” The blond held no hard feelings for the bite. His head felt light and he leaned against Noctis. “Better my wrist than your tongue.” He watched the wound close. Despite the years, Prompto was still amazed by how quickly vampires healed.

“I’m really sorry about that, Ignis.” Noctis sounds worried. “I had to close that wound or drinking Prom’s blood would have been for nothing.”

“No time to talk.” Gladio cut in and lifted Ignis in his arms. “That poison is a hell lot more dangerous than it seems. We got to take him home. Noct, can you carry Prompto?”

“I’m fine!” The young vampire protested but the prince and his Shield would have none of it. Noctis moved Prompto so the blond would lean on the prince’s back instead of his shoulder. “This is SO humiliating.” Prompto muttered.

“Shut up. You love the extra care.” Noctis grinned at his friend.

Ignis closed his eyes, a smile on his lips. He and Gladio knew he was far from being out of danger, but it was nice to hear that playful banter between the two youngest ones of their group. Besides, it meant his prince was calm and he would rather have him like that than all over him, worried sick about his survival.

The advisor didn’t recall much of their way home aside from Gladio poking him to stay awake. As much as it was annoying, it was necessary and Ignis kept his breathing steady and controlled the whole way back to Insomnia to keep the blood flow going slowly and the poison as contained as possible. Keeping his heartbeat slow could be the key to his survival at this point.

When he was finally allowed to pass out, the bright lights on the ceiling hurt his eyes as much as the sun would have or so he thought. He embraced the darkness despite the smell of death around him and other products used to treat the humans guarding their city during the dayshift.

He knew not how long he had been out when he started to wake up. His mind was back to its normal analytical state, however. Before he could open his eyes, his nose picked on Noct’s bodywash and his ears caught the regular beeping sounds of the machines plugged on him. Something was wrapped around his right hand and there was a light weight on his lap.

Because of the angle his bed was set, Ignis was almost sitting when he opened his eyes and it was with little surprise that the first thing he saw was Noct’s dark hair. Everything around him was pure white and the prince’s taste in clothing as well as his natural hair color made him pop out in this perfectly white universe. He looked asleep on Ignis’ lap, holding his hand like he was afraid he would slip away from him.

The second thing he noticed was both his arms had transfusion lines. He concluded that his condition was as worse as he thought it was back in the forest. It seemed he needed a complete change of blood in his body. He probably would have died if he made it only an hour later at this hospital.

“I was worried.”

The voice of Noctis broke his analytical thoughts and drew his eyes back to his lap where his prince laid his head. His frown couldn’t hide how much of an understatement Noctis’ words were. Ignis could tell he had been more than just worried and the grip around his hand got slightly tighter, confirming his hypothesis.

“My apologies.” Ignis said after clearing his dry throat. “But someone had to lure them away from you.”

“It didn’t have to be you.” The young vampire moved his head up and the comforting weight was gone, much to the advisor’s regret.

“Then who? Gladio? He’s your Shield. He must remain with you at all times. Prompto? He’s your best friend and he’s not done with his training yet. They would have killed him in an instant.” He shook his head. “It had to be me, Noct.”

“Don’t act like you’re not important to me!” The worry in the blue eyes left its place for anger, but Ignis wasn’t too worried about that. “You almost died! They almost couldn’t save you!”

“I am well aware of that fact.” Ignis sighed. “I was at death’s door when you found me. Or so to speak. We are, technically, already dead so…”

“Don’t.” Noctis warned him as he angrily glared at him. He couldn’t stand Ignis taking the situation so lightly. Why couldn’t he see how important he was to him?

But Ignis knew.

His prince wasn’t much into flirting or that kind of thing. He was an awkward being when it came down to his emotions. Because he cared so much, he thought he had to learn to be more distant or try to care less. Problem was, he only could act the part, but one cannot fight their own feelings forever. The advisor saw the subtle changes in his attitude over time, from how comfortable Noctis was with him at first to how he avoided eye contact and the increase of his blushing around him.

Despite the urgent need to kiss those perfect lips to change that glare into a gentle gaze, Ignis only lifted a hand and pressed it against Noctis’ cheek.

“I am sorry for making you worry so much,” he told him. “I assure you that I did what I did to protect you and those you care about. Someone had to stay behind to lure them away from you and I was best suited for the task. The idea was to survive the encounter, not pointlessly die.” His thumb slowly ran over the cheek of the young vampire in front of him.

The prince leaned against the touch, but the frown wouldn’t leave. The sadness came back in his eyes despite covering Ignis’ hand with one of his own. He wanted to scream at him then kiss him and scream at him some more. However, Noctis just closed his eyes and squeezed his advisor’s hand as tightly as the pinch he felt in his heart. “They…” he cleared his throat and looked back a Ignis, “They said you will be fine. The wounds are already healing by themselves. You won’t keep that burning scar at your side either.”

“From when you used your fire magic to close my wound?” Ignis softly asked.

“Yeah… If I hadn’t done that and if Prompto hadn’t give you some of his blood…” Noctis trailed off and dropped his gaze. He couldn’t imagine his life without Ignis. He wanted to tell him everything, but with his wedding to Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret almost confirmed, what good would that do? It would only hurt Ignis more…if he did share the same feelings. The young vampire realized he didn’t confess only because he was so afraid of rejection. However, even if, by an infinitely small chance, Ignis shared his feelings, confessing now would be selfish of Noctis and the prince knew that. That was why he held everything inside. For Ignis’ best interest.

“You have my gratitude.” Ignis smiled. “All of you. Is Prompto alright? I did bite him rather hard back then.”

“He’s fine.” Noctis immediately answered, eyes back on Ignis and a faint smile on his lips. “He came visiting you when you were out.”

“When I was out?” The advisor blinked. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Two nights.” The prince sighed. “The first night was the worst. They weren’t sure they would be able to get rid of all the poison in your body. They almost gave up on you, but Gladio told them you were the stubbornest guy he ever met, so they were better figure out which treatment you needed so you could do the rest of the work for them.” He chuckled. “Even when you’re down, you’re still kicking ass because they couldn’t believe you made it pass the first day. After that, it was just a matter of time before you wake up.”

“I am not quite that stubborn,” Ignis feigned indignation. “I only hold my point when I know I am right.”

“Which is all the time!” Noctis laughed and Ignis believed it was the most beautiful sound in the world. “Rest easy, Specs,” he told him as he saw the other vampire close his eyes. “The worst is behind you now.” The prince put his head back on his advisor’s lap. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Feeling the weight on his lap again, Ignis smiled to himself. Despite that little voice in his head, he reached for Noctis’ hair and gently ran his fingers through them. He knew this would be the closest he would ever be with the young vampire. Usually, he was very careful to not touch him unless it was necessary. The lesser the temptation, the better.

But right now? He didn’t care. After all, he almost _died_. So, he decided to enjoy this small moment with his prince. He knew all too well it would end too soon. He squeezed Noctis’ hand a little as his other hand kept petting his dark hair until dawn.


End file.
